'Devil' rules at weekend B.O.

'The Demon Inside'During the thing that was expected to become ho-hum begin to 2012 domestic box office, Vital Insurge's exorcism pic, "The Demon Inside," wound up enhancing overall B.O. in the large way, by getting a superb $34.5 million weekend gross, which causes it to be the most effective-ever Stateside debut to start a completely new year. "Demon" also stands since the third-finest The month of the month of january debut, behind 2008's "Cloverfield," which bowed to $40.millions of, as well as the "AlienInch re-problem, having its $35.9 million opening in 1997. (All of people photos launched mid- to late-The month of the month of january.)Aside from the records, "Demon" already can be a greatly lucrative venture for Componen. Such as the studio spent just $millions of to find the pic, put in a small marketing spend. "For those who have countless-dollar movie, the (marketing) process can be very fun and loose," mentioned Componen marketing and distribution mind Megan Colligan. "Plenty of that which you do is controlling offline an internet-based media, and you also could really realize that the web fanbase saved growing and growing." "Demon" aided lift overall filmgoing, since the weekend's B.O. was up around 28% inside the same frame a year ago. The weekend's holdover crop held much better than expected, especially Par's "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," which fell just 30% with an thought three-day gross of $20.5 million. In third place, Warner Bros.' "An Online Detective: A Game Title Title of Shadows" also displayed considerable resiliency, lower just 33%, producing an thought $14.millions of. In your area, "Mission" has cumed $170.2 million "Sherlock," $157.4 million. Bizzers expected the weekend-to-weekend drops being much greater overall, compared to last weekend's stellar New Year's traffic. That didn't happen. Really, Sony's "The Woman While using Dragon Tattoo" saw one of the weekend's best holds, off just 24%, yielding a 3-day gross of $11.3 million - enough for fourth place - together with a domestic cume of $76.8 million. Focus Features' "Mess Tailor Soldier Spy," meanwhile, extended to 809 theaters, up roughly 750 versus. a week ago, and showed up inside the top with $5.8 million. Pic has cumed $10.4 million in your area. "The film certainly proven the capability to see with a broad audience," mentioned Jack Foley, prexy of theatrical distribution at Focus. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Are More Real Housewives In The Works?

First Published: January 4, 2012 5:07 PM EST Credit: Access Hollywood Caption Bravo boss and What What Happens Live host Andy Cohen visits Access Hollywood Live on January 4, 2012LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Watch What Happens Live host and Bravo executive Andy Cohen is riding high on the success of The Real Housewives franchise but is the network planning to highlight the ladies of other cities? Andy stopped by Access Hollywood Live on Wednesday where he revealed that crop of current locations NY City, Beverly Hills, Atlanta, Orange County and New Jersey might be it, at least for the time being. I think were good right now, he told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover when asked if Bravo would expand the series. Washington D.C. and Miami versions of the series were previously axed by the network. In addition to Housewives success, Andy is expanding the networks late night talk show from two nights a week to five, beginning this Sunday on January 8. Its going to be challenging, but Im excited, Andy said of his late night show that features Bravo stars, pop culture icons and plenty of on-air shenanigans. For more with Andy, including how he and Bravo decided to carefully handle the recent death of Russell Armstrong on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, click here. Watch What Happens Live airs live Sunday through Thursday at 11 PM EST. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Is 'We Bought a Zoo' So Sappy It's Good? (And 24 Other Urgent Questions)

On Friday, a story about a family purchasing a zoo arrives in theaters with the daring and bold title of 'We Bought a Zoo.' Matt Damon ('The Rainmaker') stars as Benjamin Mee, a father of two who buys the titular zoo. Is 'We Bought a Zoo' so sappy that it's good? Or will you drown in the sap and die? As a service, we answer every question that you could possibly have about 'We Bought a Zoo.' Q: How many times did you cry during 'We Bought a Zoo'? A: Wait, what? Cry? I certainly didn't "cry" during 'We Bought a Zoo.' Q: So you're saying that you did not, at any point, cry during 'We Bought a Zoo'? A: OK, look, "cry" is such a strong term... Q: Did moisture form in the general vicinity of your eyes at any point during 'We Bought a Zoo'? A: Twice. (Also, I'm only human.) Q: What is 'We Bought a Zoo' about? A: It's about a recent widower named Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) who purchases a zoo. Q: Wait, Benjamin Mee purchases that 1970s PBS show? The one with the kids in the striped shirts? A: You're thinking of 'Zoom.' Q: Why does Benjamin Mee buy a zoo? A: After the death of his wife, Benjamin feels that a change is needed -- especially after the bizarre behavior of his son, Dylan (Colin Ford) -- and decides to move. The perfect home is found, but, alas, it also includes a zoo. Q: What kind of bizarre behavior? A: Dylan has just been expelled from his school for stealing and has a tendency to draw pictures of decapitated bodies. Q: Did Matt Damon's wife in 'We Bought a Zoo' died from Meningoencephalitis Virus One? A: No. The events that transpired during 'Contagion' have nothing to do with the plot of 'We Bought a Zoo.' Q: How does Benjamin Mee afford a zoo? Does he have a very high paying job? A: Actually, he just quit his job as a journalist. Q: Even without quitting your job, could you afford a zoo? A: I'm lucky to afford Zoo Animal Crackers at this point. Luckily for Benjamin Mee, he has a family inheritance. Q: Does Benjamin's family enjoy owning a zoo? A: Benjamin's daughter, Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), is immediately smitten with the zoo. Dylan, on the other hand, is less than thrilled and misses his friends. But Dylan does develop a crush on one of the zoo's employees, Lily (Elle Fanning). Q: Who wouldn't want to own a zoo? A: Me. Probably you. Q: OK, what idealistic movie character wouldn't want to own a zoo? A: The problem with this particular zoo is that it's not currently in operation and is hemorrhaging money. So, with Mee's purchase, he also has to invest even more of his own money and time into restoring the zoo -- and paying the salaries of the zoo's staff. Q: Does Kevin James, as Benjamin's zookeeper, keep the mood light -- even in times of financial despair? A: Kevin James is not in 'We Bought a Zoo.' You're thinking of 'Zookeeper.' Scarlett Johansson ('The Perfect Score') plays the zookeeper in 'We Bought a Zoo.' Q: If you had to hire either Kevin James or Scarlet Johansson as your zookeeper, whom would you choose? A: This is tough. Johansson's Kelly Foster seems better qualified, but James' Griffin Keyes is funnier when he falls down. I just don't know. Q: What was the biggest surprise in 'We Bought a Zoo'? A: It's great seeing Patrick Fugit in another Cameron Crowe movie, but, boy, did he get really tall since 'Almost Famous.' Q: Is 'We Bought a Zoo' a good movie? A: Under most definitions of the word "good," I'd have to say that, no, it's not particularly "good." But its relentless goody-goody earnestness will win you over. It's actually humanly impossible to resist. Q: Should I see 'We Bought a Zoo'? A: Sure, why not? Just make sure to bring a tissue to wipe all of the sap off of your face. Honestly, this is the Gallagher of sappy movies -- people in the front row should be required to shield themselves with plastic tarps. Q: If it's the Gallagher of sappy movies, should I also expect some racist and homophobic jokes? A: No, I was just making an outdated reference to the guy who used to smash watermelons with a hammer. Forget I mentioned that. Q: Is 'We Bought a Zoo' the most earnest movie coming out this weekend? A: Unbelievably, it's not. 'War Horse' takes that particular title. Q: What's the best thing about 'We Bought a Zoo'? A: The music. I mean, this is a Cameron Crowe movie, after all. Q: If there ever is a sequel to 'We Bought a Zoo,' what are three possibly titles? A: 'We Own a Zoo,' 'We Sold Our Zoo,' and 'We Bought a Zoo 2: Goat Protocol.' Q: What are the odds that you lose your job over the fact that you just wrote the words 'We Bought a Zoo 2: Goat Protocol'? A: Forty-five percent chance. Q: Is either J.B. Smoove or Ken Jeong in this movie? A: Yes. Q: If I'm at a cocktail party and I'm asked what my opinions of 'We Bought a Zoo' are, even though I haven't seen 'We Bought a Zoo', what should I say? A: "Yes, this is a sappy movie; there's no doubt about that. Look, Nigel*, I know this is a cynical world, but Matt Damon's performance left me wishing that, at least, every now and then, we can just all take a moment and enjoy the things in life that we do have. For a change." (*I took the liberty of assuming that you will be talking with a man named Nigel.) You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter [Photo: Fox] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Discovery Sued By Woman Who Claims 'Weed Wars' Was Her Idea

Prashant Gupta / FX FX and Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter have prevailed in a lawsuit filed by an ex-Hell's Angel biker who claimed the idea for the hit drama series was stolen.our editor recommends'Glee,' 'Sons of Anarchy' Added to Amazon Prime Instant Video Streaming Service'Sons of Anarchy' Creator Kurt Sutter on Season 4's Bold Finale and Season 5 PlansFurious 'Sons of Anarchy' Creator Tells DirecTV Viewers 'You're Getting F---ed Over'; Reveals Banned Script Chuck Zito sued FX for $5 million in June 2010 claiming he had developed a show called Nomads (later The Wild Angels) and had agents at ICM set up a pitch meeting in 2004 with FX chief John Landgraf, during which Zito says he discussed ideas for a show about a motorcycle club. FX passed on the project but later developed Sutter's Sons, which ICM packaged and which recently concluded its 4th season as a big hit for the network. "FX was obligated to pay Zito the reasonable value of his ideas, hire him to work on the series and afford him screen credit as creator," the lawsuit alleged. "Defendants breached an implied-in-fact contract with defendant." VIDEO: 'Sons of Anarchy': Ron Perlman Says Season 4 Was a Challenge At the time, Sutter took to his twitter account to blast the lawsuit, saying: "HAVING THE F***ING IDEA IS NOT THE SHOW. THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS OF OUTLAW MOTORCYCLE TV DRAMAS PITCHED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. NONE OF THEM HAS MADE IT TO SERIES, EXCEPT SOA. BECAUSE THEY SUCKED." STORY: 'Sons of Anarchy' Creator Kurt Sutter on Season 4's Bold Finale and Season 5 Plans Today a Los Angeles Superior Court judge agreed, ruling on summary judgment that Sons was independently created and Zito doesn't have a case. The judge relied on declarations submitted by Sutter, Landgraf and talent agent Matt Solo (now with WME), among others, showing Sutter's development process and the fact that Sons was pitched to several networks, including HBO and AMC, before arriving at FX, which bought the project in a bidding war. The judge saw no reason for the case to continue past the summary judgment phase. We've reached out to Zito's attorneys for comment. FX is represented by Scott Edelman at LA's Gibson Dunn firm and Rick Stone at Jenner & Block. Email: Matthew.Belloni@thr.com Twitter: @THRMattBelloni PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'Sons of Anarchy' Red Carpet Premiere

Boardwalk Empires Shocking Finale Hits Season High, Luck So-So In Preview

Boardwalk Empires second season ended on a high note. The finale, featuring the shocking death of a major character (won’t reveal more for the sake of procrastinating DVR viewers), averaged a season high 3 million viewers at 9 PM on Sunday. Another 834,000 viewers caught the 11 PM replay for a combined audience of 3.8 million. Sandwiched between the two airings of Boardwalk Empire was a preview of HBOs new David Milch/Michael Mann series Luck, which premieres Jan. 29. The pilot episode of the horse-racing drama starring Dustin Hoffman averaged 1.1 million viewers, holding onto a third of the Boardwalk Empire finale audience.

Brad Garrett In Talks to Join Steve Carell in 'Burt Wonderstone' (Exclusive)

Getty ImagesMark Moses Mark Moses is going from Wisteria Lane to searching for who killed Rosie Larsen. The Desperate Housewives star has booked a major arc for Season 2 of AMC's The Killing, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively. Moses will play Lt. Carlson, a new detective who joins the Seattle police department and the investigation into Rosie's death. He will appear in at least eight episodes of the nuanced drama. The drama's controversial first season ended with Linden (Mireille Enos) boarding a plane to California join her fiancé in California only to learn that her partner, Holder (Joel Kinnaman), fabricated evidence involving their prime suspect in the case. STORY: Season 2 of 'The Killing' Will Reveal Rosie Larsen's Killer, Says AMC Exec Moses is currently reprising his role as Paul Young on the final season of ABC's Desperate Housewives. The Killing role reunites Moses with AMC, where he played Herman "Duck" Phillips on the network's Mad Men from 2007-10. Repped by Innovative Artists and the Coronel Group, Moses' credits also include stints on Criminal Minds, Covert Affairs, Castle and Drop Dead Diva. The Killing returns in the spring. Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit Desperate Housewives The Killing

'Anything Goes' on the road

The Roundabout Theater company's strong-selling revival of "Anything Goes" will hit the road in the 2012-13 season. National tour will stop at more than 25 cities including L.A., where the musical will play a stint at the Ahmanson Theater. Roundabout work has been seen on the road before, with the theater in recent years sending out touring offshoots of its Broadway productions of "12 Angry Men" (which played around the country for a total of two years) and of tuner "Cabaret." "Anything Goes" seemingly has the potential for success on the road, where auds often gravitate toward old-fashioned Broadway standards with a familiar title. New revival, which opened last season, also got a profile boost when it scored a couple of Tonys, including one for top revival and another for the dance moves of helmer-choreography Kathleen Marshall. Tour opens in October 2012 at Cleveland's Playhouse Square. Cast and other details for the road version remain to be announced. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com